California Prisons Unconstitutional

To no one’s surprise who is both knowledgeable about the prison system and not biased in favor of it the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in the Brown v. Plata case declaring that the prisons were so overcrowded as to be unconstitutional, violating the 8th Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Chief Justice Roberts, Justice Scalia and Justice Alito dissented, again to no one’s surprise.

The Court allowed a two year deadline to implement a plan to reduce overcrowding, and California officials have stated that they have been taking steps since the three judge panel issued the order two years ago. According to the officials, the prison population has been reduced by 9000 inmates in the two years and a plan has now been implemented to meet the requirements of the order by the deadline.

As many of you know, the most likely way to reduce the prison population is to make it easier to parole as well as examining other alternatives to imprisonment, thus providing relief at both ends of the system.